Overhead Stretch

Stand tall like a curious bear sniffing the breeze, then reach your paws up to the sky. Lengthen from ribs to fingertips, keep your shoulders relaxed, and breathe slow. Hold the stretch gently, no growling or forcing, just a nice tall bear stretch to wake up your upper body.

Instructions

1. Stand or sit tall with feet hip-width apart and ribs stacked over hips.
2. Reach both arms overhead with palms facing in or fingers interlaced.
3. Gently lift up through the fingertips while keeping shoulders down away from the ears.
4. Breathe slowly and hold the stretch.
5. Release and repeat as needed.

Benefits

• Improves shoulder flexion mobility
• Opens the chest and upper back
• Promotes better posture and overhead reach
• Helps reduce upper-body stiffness from sitting

Key Points

• Keep your neck long and shoulders relaxed, not shrugged.
• Avoid arching the low back; keep ribs down and core lightly engaged.
• Breathe steadily and stretch to mild tension, not pain.
• If interlacing fingers bothers wrists, keep arms parallel instead.

Common Mistakes

• Shrugging shoulders up toward the ears
• Overarching the lower back and flaring the ribs
• Holding breath during the stretch
• Forcing range of motion or pushing into pain